This invention relates in general to reducing or eliminating flea infestations on household pets and the like and, more specifically, to a formulation which both kills fleas and improves the condition on the skin of an animal.
Fleas are small, wingless insects that live on mammals and birds and suck blood for food. Fleas are dangerous pests because they can carry the germs that cause plague and typhus. While some types of fleas live on only certain types of animals, most pass freely from animals to human beings and from animal to animal. Besides the threat of disease transmission, fleas cause itching that results in animals scratching to the point that open wounds or sores may result, leading to secondary bacterial infections. A great many different types of flea deterring or killing treatments have been developed in attempts to rid animals of fleas.
A variety of chemicals have been manufactured and sold for use in killing fleas that infest various animals, in particular household pets such as dogs, cats, hamsters, etc. Most are harsh, man-made chemicals that can have serious consequences where used too often or in excess of recommended quantities. Typical of these chemicals are propoxur (o-isopropoxphenyl) methyl carbamate, d-Limonene, cyano(3-pheoxypheny)methyl 4-chroro-alpha (i-methylethyl)beneneacetate, pyrethrine, piperonyl butoxide and N-octyl bicycloheptane dicarboximide. While generally effective against fleas if very carefully used, these chemicals often have serious side effects. Many excessively dry the skin or cause eczema or allergic reactions in some animals, a serious problem in dry areas, such as the desert-like band from Southern California through Texas. Scratches and sores caused by the animal scratching at fleas can become infected and the infections are often aggravated by these chemicals. Many of these chemicals cannot be applied to the fur of animals, such as cats, that self-groom by licking the skin and fur.
Persons applying these flea killing chemicals to animals must often be very carefully to avoid excessive contact with them. Those grooming animals must often wear rubber gloves to avoid continuous contact with the chemicals. Care must be exercised in keeping the chemicals out of the eyes and away from the mucus membranes of both the animal and the person applying them. Breathing vapor from the chemicals over long periods must be avoided. Many of these chemicals are not rapidly biodegradeable and constitute an environmental hazard if misused.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved materials that can be applied to fur bearing animals to eliminate fleas while being environmentally benign, avoiding deleterious side effects and, and preferably actually improving the skin condition of the animal and reducing infection of scratches and sores.